Ten Hag tipped for successful overhaul
FANS and pundits are roundly calling for Erik ten Hag to produce an overhaul of the Manchester United squad when he becomes manager this summer.
The 52-year-old has built a good reputation for finding talent during his time as Ajax boss. Antony, Quincy Promes and Sebastian Haller have all been successful examples.
Ten Hag stamped his mark as manager of the Dutch giants during his first few transfer windows. After taking over in December 2017, he brought in no less than 11 players over the next 12 months.
Among them were Nicolas Tagliafico, Dusan Tadic and Daley Blind. All three are still regulars in his side today, and none of them cost more than £15million.
The situation may be slightly different at a globally reputable club such as United, where clubs aim to squeeze as much money out of them as possible when negotiating signings. Acquisitions will be more costly and therefore he may also look to free options, such as United’s youth academy.
This will excite the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Hannibal Mejbri and James Garner, who has had a terrific season on loan at Nottingham Forest.
Ten Hag promoted Noussair Mazrauoi to the Ajax first team during his first transfer window and he has become a real staple in his set-up. His youth-driven philosophy ties in nicely with United’s astonishing conveyor belt of academy graduates.
But his big-money signings have stood the test of time too. United have had a problem of marquee arrivals failing to live up to expectations in recent years.
Alexis Sanchez, Angel Di Maria and Romelu Lukaku are names most United fans would put into that category. They are desperate for a quick turnaround that will see their club at least become serious challengers again.
And ten Hag’s first few transfer windows at Ajax is evidence that he is capable of such a task. He’s never let the Dutch title slip since first lifting it during the 2018/19 campaign.
Furthermore, six of the 11 he signed in his first year are still at the club. Stability is what United fans are craving and ten Hag may just be the man to provide it.